MudBugs - A Cajun Joint

Highly recommend this place. The crab cake appetizer special was amazing. The crab stuffed shrimp dinner was delicious. Hubby loved the gumbo. And OMG the key lime pie was authenticity tangy. Our server was knowledgeable and kind. Beautifully and uniquely decorated.

We were very pleasantly surprised by Mudbugs! We are east coast seafood people originally so we typically steer away from seafood in Texas but overall really enjoyed many seafood components at Mudbugs! The drinks were phenomenal, priced relatively high but worth it. Their wine list is amazing and they have half price bottles Thursday, which we’d absolutely consider coming back. We started with the Brussels and the calamari. I’d recommend both but especially the Brussels! Sweet, savory, different textures -so awesome! The calamari was very fresh, not chewy and large pieces! They were fried to perfection. The gumbo was easily the strongest food item we had! Unbelievably flavorful, full of meats and seafood and a great kick of spicy! I really enjoyed the side caeser, you can definitely tell they make the dressing in house. I had the taterfish for dinner. It was very good though the red fish was a bit fishy so if you’re not into that, I wouldn’t order it with red fish. The fish does change regularly. The shrimp and grits had good flavor but the grits were down to a very thick soup consistency, which my partner didn’t care for. He is not a grit expert though so he finished the plate! We closed with the key lime pie and bread pudding. The key lime was good, the bread pudding was better. So much flavor, a wonderful caramel sauce, great vanilla ice cream- my only qualm with the bread pudding was that it isn’t warm. It is very thick, double layer of what felt like soft brick style bread pudding and I think some heat on the BP would have been PERFECT. Overall, recommend MudBugs and would absolutely be back. Our server was fantastic also!

Went for lunch and had the salad with blackened salmon so Yummy! 8/20/23 we did Brunch! Amazing, they take pride in everything they serve! We went 9/23 and dinner was fantastic 😊 Charlie and Mike are amazing bar tenders🥂 We both had the fillets and they were cooked too perfection! I can't say enough about the coping mechanism and the Cadillac margarita that my husband loves! So exciting to see a local place focused on customer service and high quality food! 11-29-23 Always the best place for dinner and drinks! I keep coming back!!

Excellent atmosphere and phenomenal food to match! The edifice is eclectic offering indoor and outdoor seating. It's super laid back and good for lunch as well as the Sunday dinner. We came on the first night the Sunday dinner was offered. It was so good I forgot to take a picture of the redfish! This should tell the story...

Beautiful restaurant. Great service. Food was delicious. We had the shrimp and grits and the daily dozen special- both great. Calamari was not great. Wish we had tried the Brussels sprouts appetizer instead.

If you are looking for a excellent dining experience, Mud bugs delivers. The food is divine, the staff is friendly and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The calamari melted in my mouth. The best I have ever had hands down. The shrimp delight was a three in one. Bacon, shrimp and crab. My mouth didn’t know what to do with itself. My favorite was the shrimp and grits. Grilled shrimp surrounding Gouda grits. Yum! And that surrounded by the most delightful moat of cheese sauce loaded with spinach, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and grilled onions. Absolutely divine!!! It was a dining experience, not a meal. If you enjoy trying flavors and textures, please stop by Mud bugs in Buda and let your tastebuds sing.

Passing through town and stopped to eat here. My only complaint is it isn’t closer to where I live so I could further explore the menu…seriously amazing food, great staff, got to talk to the manager and he explained when I asked about the boudin it’s flown in fresh daily from Louisiana, never frozen; easily the best boudin I’ve ever had!

What a delightful restaurant in such an unexplace like Buda, TX. I say this because the restaurant feels like it should be located in much more urban environment like Austin. The complex of shops where it is located should definitely be explored. The service was perfect. Sadly, I thought the food offered was only slightly above average. The Cesar salad was great. Not a true Cesar dressing, but the flavors were spot on. The gumbo had a more herbal flavor than a true gumbo, causing it to miss the mark. It was also unusually spicy hot. Finally, the shrimp dish was just outright boring. Mind you, it didn't taste bad, just not something I could roll my eyes and say how wonderful it was.

This is a great location. Reservation recommended on weekends and if you have a group. Friendly staff in an eclectic bayou setting. Nice cocktails at reasonable prices. Food is pretty tasty. Po' Boys are loaded. Try the Soulful Seafood Jam - best beurre blanc I've ever had. Can't resist the Key lime pie. Service was a little scattered. Better communication between the kitchen and the servers might get the Mid Bugs that 5th

This place came highly recommended by multiple sources, and I'm pretty skeptical of Cajun food outside of Louisiana and Houston. But let me tell you, this place lived up to its hype! We arrived around 11:30am on a Saturday (brunch time!) and the place wasn't overly crowded but rather chill. We were seated immediately, and chose the outside patio because the weather was nice. The servers were all quick, accurate, and helpful. Definitely deserved their tip. The food was amazing. We were almost full just on the Popcraw appetizer which was delicious, then our food came out. My wife got the chicken & waffles (she ate it so fast, I didn't get a chance to try it). I got the Seafood omelette with a biscuit on the side. Fantastic meal. I look forward to returning and with more friends.

We went on a Sunday afternoon/ late brunch. It was pretty busy, but we were seated promptly. This place is very family-friendly. Our server, Haley? I think that was her name, was amazing! She had full extent knowledge of the menu, the restaurant itself, etc. You could tell she's a vet. Food did come out a little slow, but we didn't mind too much because it was busy & food does take time to cook. As for the food... GUMBO $13: The gumbo was okay. We got the bowl. I didn't mind the price for the portion and meats, but it lacked flavor imo. CRAB CAKES $26: Sooo good! We asked for extra remoulade sauce. The sauce for the side salad paired perfectly. SOULFUL SEAFOOD JAM $18: Our server advised me not to get this dish since they didn't have the filthy rice but I was craving it so badly I didn't think regular white rice would make a difference- thankfully they fixed it in time & our server was right. It would not have been as good without the filthy rice. Salmon was cooked perfectly. This hit the spot- which is hard when you crave something so badly you have high expectations. CHICKEN FRIED STEAK + EGGS $18: This was pretty good too! Just not so much worth the price? But keep in mind, food costs have also gone up ~200% for restaurants so I guess this is our new normal now.

My husband and I loved this restaurant!! We were able to get seated without a reservation. They offer both patio and indoor seating. Candles are at the tables and it makes it feel romantic and elevated. They also had a tv after the bar if you want to watch the games while dining. The food was exceptional and fantastic portions for the size. Beyond flavorful and unique. I highly recommend starting with the crab cakes, they were some of the best I've ever had! Can't wait to come back again soon!

Mud Bugs had a great menu for a large group with inside and outdoor seating. Both options looked great but we were inside. I think everyone was really impressed with their food minus one. Our servers were on top of things and did a great job.

I have never been a seafood person but I really love the food here. I had the taterfish, which was a hashbrown crusted mahi mahi with grilled shrimp and roasted veggies on the side. The grilled shrimp was so delicious, the seasoning really made it. The mahi mahi was very tasty and not fishy at all, which is usually why I dislike seafood. Our waiter was very funny, knowledgeable, and informative about every single dish/drink.

The food is absolutely delicious But be prepared for a pricey night out. We were caught off guard by how expensive our bill ended up because they don't post the price of their specials. That really made what was suppose to be a wonderful night ( our son gave us a $75 gift card) into one that cost us another $75. The Specials are delicious but the appetizer crab cakes were only meh and lukewarm.

We were in Buda and wanted a quick bite but didn't want fast food (be careful what you wish for lol). The place itself had a large outdoor seating area and a modest inside, decorated with a blue dog pic and a ton of fleur de lis (it felt very much like what a Texan would believe a New Orleans restaurant would look like). We were seated promptly but that was the only prompt aspect of our service. The place was NOT crowded for a Saturday at brunch time/lunch- maybe 6-8 tables filled (inside and outside). Our waitress came by after a decent wait and poured us water and took our drink order. Only my husband ordered a cocktail. She left and then we didn't see her for a solid 10-15 min (so no food order taken yet). Someone then stopped by and asked if we'd been "taken care of" we said we'd put in a drink order but no food yet. Our waitress came back with the single cocktail and took our order (food and two diet cokes). Then the real wait began. We watched two different parties come into the restaurant, get seated and then leave before orders were taken. We waited probably 20 min for food (a wedge salad, a cup of fruit, and a shrimp po'boy). We finally got our food but no Diet Coke. We mentioned the Diet Coke and then it was brought out after 5 more min. The food was unremarkable and not worth the wait or the price (avg mains $15-30, apps/salads $10-$15, cocktails $8-15). My husband ate his po'boy but not his fries (said they were cold and floppy). My brother ate a majority of his wedge salad (said it was OK), and my tiny fruit cup was only cantalope and honeydew neither sweet/ripe. Overall, this was a real disappointment. It's likely to go the route of its neighbor Valentina's unless they provide better service and fix their offerings. I only took a picture of my husband's cocktail which was the only highlight of the meal.

I was super excited to try this place. We came in on a Friday so it was very busy, which is to be expected. I thought sitting at the bar maybe we would have faster service than sitting at a table. Unfortunately that was not the case. We had to constantly waive the bartender down and wait long periods of time to order a drink, get a refill on water and put in our food order. To try to make things simple we put the appetizer, salad, entree and dessert order all at once. Again we were met with disappointment. The appetizer and salad we ordered was delicious but we waited forever for our entire. Since it took even longer to get the employees attention to ask about our order that also added more time to the wait. It's as if they were ignoring us as we were trying to get someone's attention. Finally when they went to check on our order they let us know they never put the entree in and that it would take 45 min or so before we could even get our meal. We had already been there for almost two hours so it was a bust and we decided to leave. I was super excited to try this place but giving the service and lack of attention I don't know if I'll come back. Hopefully your experience is much better and maybe sit at a table and not the bar.

I have my favorite Cajun spots around Austin. Heard good things about Mud Bugs so off we went on a recent weekend. Stunning interior; who knew old Buda was this cool! Coolest remodel of an old building in recent memory only possibly eclipsed by The Gristmill in Gruene. First bites were a good start. New Orleans BBQ Shrimp was licking the plate good. On par with NOLA cuisine; the bite of Worcestershire and butter. Gumbo..and this is where things get touchy. Not Roux forward in flavor. Tomato was too dominant. GF also love the appetizer and her choice of a Short Rib Stew (??) was fine. I chose a premium dish in The Grateful Shrimp. Promising but ultimately flawed. Deep fried Bacon Wrapped Shrimp no matter what you throw on top or bottom is a fail. A gentle approach would be better. If you don't have a grill head over to the Walmart on 35 and slow cook them on a panini press or griddle. Then there was the literally burnt "Filthy Rice" aka dirty rice. One inch squared bits of black. How was this served to me? Barely a detection of Crab; Tasso Cream Sauce was there and provided flavor. Wait, online menu said there was a vegetable? Have ANY of your chefs and owners dined at IDK Pappadeaux? Not that I mention a chain too often but it totally kicks Mud Bugs Tail.

Sat outside on a weeknight, nice wait. Server David was attentive and knowledgeable. Fried calamari was easily the best part of the meal, so good. I got the fish with the hash brown on it, and while I don't remember what kind of fish it was that night, it was a bit tough. Pricey. Would go again for the calamari.

Sometimes one can be fooled by a façade or advertising, thus robbing them of a wonderful opportunity. For instance, I'm always on the lookout for interesting culinary endeavors, in particular distinct cuisines like, shall we say, Cajun? So, when I came upon MudBugs website I was less than impressed & honestly when I drove past it, I couldn't see it from the street. Well, my friends while the website doesn't exactly inspire enthusiasm, the restaurant itself is far more sophisticated & worthy of a visit. As I previously mentioned Mudbugs doesn't have "curb appeal" as it's behind a store but when you walk in, the joint is rocking! I wondered in on a Saturday around 6pm & it was booked solid; luckily, I was able to belly up to the bar w/ a female companion. The facility has high, open ceilings, that of an old school train station so the noise level is more tolerable. There's a few Fleur-de-lis emblems hanging around, an homage to the namesakes' roots of the Bijou. The tables are elegantly basic, sort of the antithesis of many lesser chain restaurants I find to be fraudulently trendy. I don't like calling out individuals as a dining experience is a team effort but our waiter Evan was fabulous. He knew what to recommend, was personable, threw out jokes, was quick w/ orders & contributed greatly to the experience. Let's roll into the drinks, shall we? The adult drinking options are limited however they're crafted w/ finesse & care. The old fashioned was refreshing w/ a great balance of bitters & rum. The margarita had a nice tequila undertone w/ notes of lime & pear to round out the experience. My companion ordered the smoldering longbranch & I didn't sample this b/c mentally I can't put smoke & drink in the same glass & enjoy it. However, she assured me it was "ok." As for apps the crab dip wasn't to my liking & I must confess I'm a chef from Charleston SC, so it's hard to gain my favor when so many ingredients mask the purity of crab, especially when there's not much crab to speak of. That said I appreciate the various hatch chilis & jalapenos but it masked what I was after. Next up the calamari was near perfection. The green onions & calamari were expertly fried & the creole remoulade was flavorful but some of the "squid fries" wasn't to my palate. Long tentacles were cut like fries so texture wise I wasn't a fan. Overwise the dish was outstanding devoid of excess grease & a perfect chew. Finally, the wedge salad was pretty good minus two points. First Mudbugs, please don't serve the "core" of the lettuce as it's inedible. Next the balance off all other ingredients didn't match the shear size of the lettuce. If they had more dressing along w/ more blue cheese & bacon the balance would have been sufficient. Address these two items & another hit is on your hands. As for dinner I have made shrimp & grits in 6 restaurants, one of Michelin star caliber, so it's personal to me. I was weary reading the description of "sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, etc." What is all this crap!? They're ruining it! Well, I was wrong. The ingredients are blended into an absolutely amazing sauce to go w/ creamy & perfectly cooked grits & plump shrimp. In fact, my copilot liked my food more than hers. Regardless if you're a Shrimp & Grits aficionado or newbie, just get this dish and wait for Nirvana. As for my wine again no real French by the glass to speak of but the BR Cohn Cab was mellow, shallow legs and light while the Tahuan Malbec was somewhat forgettable w/ no noticeable fruits for the nose to sift through. The final plate was the salmon "Taterfish" plate. I thought it was a nice light dish w/ a crispy potato crust adding crunch juxtaposed to the tenderness of the salmon and the flavors of fish offset by the arugula forward salad with lemon caper butter. I thought it was refreshing but my company didn't like it. My suggestion is get it if you're hungry but want something light, a paradox I'm sure. The evening wrapped up & I'm very happy to say while I nitpick as critics do, I thought the restaurant was a resounding success. Although I didn't care for the peanut butter cheesecake or crème brûlée (both tasted off for some reason) there are so many positives to be gained from everything I craved. Don't be fooled like I was by a bland website w/ no curbside appeal. Enjoy great food, good service & creative libations in a safe area of town. Perhaps I'll see you there, I'll be the one w/ a smile, food and wine. Laissez les bon temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

My boyfriend was in the mood for something different so I recommended we go to Mudbugs. We began our meal with the Calamari, which was a fantastic start. The calamari was perfectly crispy on the outside while tender on the inside, with just the right amount of seasoning. It was served with a zesty and flavorful creole remoulade. My boyfriend opted for the Soulful Seafood Jam, and it was an absolute hit. The salmon was cooked to perfection. The seafood jambalaya had a spice level that was just right, and the creole mustard Beurre blanc sauce added a rich, tangy finish that brought the whole dish together. I chose the Chicken Fried Steak Friday special, which you cannot find on the menu. The chicken was perfectly breaded and fried, and was served with mashed potatoes. The gravy was the cherry on top, adding a savory richness that made each bite comforting and satisfying. We also tried the Smoldering Longbranch and Embrace the Buzz cocktails. Embrace the Buzz was good but I highly recommend the Smoldering Longbranch. The service was a little slow for lunch on a Friday but the staff are very friendly and make some fantastic suggestions.

The food was overall good. The risotto consistency was a tad bit overdone. I believe they may have cooked it a bit too long. The redfish on top of the truffle risotto was delicious. The calamari was good and on the tender side. They are more of chunks and reminded me of cuttlefish. The key lime pie was delightful! It reminded me of the key lime pies I have had in Key West, Florida. Spot on delicious! I would come back for the key lime pie! Overall good meal. Plenty of parking! The service was very efficient, friendly, and enthusiastic. The ambiance is nice and charming. A great spot to hang out with friends!

3 and almost a half stars. I'll list my pet peeves first. Wobbly tables. All of them. Fix them. They significantly detract from the dining experience. Broken and/or dirty service wear. Throw it away. Brunch with a group. Probably a good idea to make a reservation. Table was ready when we arrived. Service is a little slow. Cocktails are well made and reasonably priced. Food is good (not great). Friends recommended the Brussels sprouts - seemed to be more bell pepper than sprouts - not bad but disappointing. Someone in the back needs to learn how to poach eggs. Desert was awesome - key lime pie and crème brûlée.

A fun Cajun restaurant with an industrial feel in Buda. The restaurant itself is pleasant and appealing. We split the New Orleans BBQ shrimp for an appetizer, which was the highlight of the meal. The sauce is delicious and left us wanting to recreate at home, although likely is not possible. We also ordered the Aviators salad and the OCD chicken. All was tasty, nothing disappointed. However, service was slow and didn't understand our order at first. Don't come in if you want any food in a hurry, but otherwise satisfying and tasty dishes!

I am always looking for my next Cajun meal. This time, my journey took me to Buda to try out MudBugs. MudBugs location: plenty of private parking, as it's located in the Buda Mill & Grain Co. Situated within the Buda Mill & Grain Co., MudBugs boasts ample private parking and resides in a historic area brimming with character. The venue itself is spacious with lofty ceilings, and a tastefully modern yet rustic ambiance. However, despite the grandeur of the setting, I found the cuisine lacking in richness and depth characteristic of authentic Cajun fare.

I had such high hopes for this place. First off, the staff was unorganized when we walked in for our 6:30 reservation. After waiting for about 15 minutes to be seated, we were brought to our table and our waitress was absolutely lovely. She was friendly and helped us with all questions we had about the menu. Unfortunately, they were out of 3 of the most popular menu items so we weren't able to get the items we wanted The food: Extremely disappointing. (Except the shrimp and grits!) The "taterfish" was extremely dry and unflavorful. The meatloaf was nothing special. Our food came out cold and at different times. Again, I was really excited to try Mud Bugs after hearing great things but I don't think I'll come back.

Amazing service ambiance and food very pleasant people loved the delish food and drinks made to perfection a great place to visit in Buda Texas

Sat at the bar top to get a quick after work meal before the potential freeze hits tonight. Ordered a beverage and appetizer. No napkins, plates or silverware given. No refills on water. No follow up on how the app was or if we needed anything. Instead, floor manager and male bartender looked around and ignored us. Finally came by to say "we are closing in 15 minutes" It's cold and slow... I get it. But take care of the customers who chose to come eat at your establishment. Calamari was good. Wish I could have ordered shrimp n grits like I planned to. Disappointing.

Started with Alligator bites and Debris Fries. The alligator bites were lightly battered with a dipping sauce that was not overpowering. Moved on to the Butter Boy served w au gratin potatoes, and sautéed spinach. Quality center cut sirloin cooked to order. The sides complemented the sirloin. Services were excellent and great date ambiance.

Nice Cajun restaurant on Buda. Always friendly and fast service from the staff. Portions are large and seasoned well. Definitely recommend the shrimp and grits

We made reservations here to celebrate my friends birthday. Our experience first started out with the waitress telling us they didn't have enough cups to bring all of us water. Our friend ordered the crab dip with gluten free crackers which she had ordered multiple times before. The waiters brought the dip and told her gluten free crackers weren't an option but she would bring broccolini (which she never brought). They were out of the beer our other friend ordered and it took at least 30 minutes to bring the cocktail he ordered after he was told they didn't have his initial beer order. The waitress forgot to put in another friends entire order of a wedge salad and grilled chicken as well as our order of crab cakes which we ended up canceling. We ended up spending $600 and overall it was a terrible experience and I would not recommend, nor would I ever visit again.

My boyfriend and I sat at the bar about an hour before close, and the bartender was short with us, and but it seemed like all the staff was unfriendly and angry. I felt like we had to finish our food quickly, even though it didn't get to us until about 30 minutes after we ordered, and no one checked on us to see how we were doing. I understand we were at the bar and they probably wanted to go home, but I didn't even bother asking about dessert because the bartender hardly looked in our direction and told us they were out of the food and drinks we originally wanted when she was taking our order. The food itself was great, but I felt rushed and unwanted. I was there for my birthday dinner after an afternoon/evening of teaching, and we made light of the situation, but if the circumstances were different we would've gotten there early enough to where we didn't have to eat and leave in a rush.

The staff is always wonderful and the food has never disappointed me. I recommend the Embrace the Buzz cocktail and the etouffee

I've been coming to Mudbugs for over 4yrs. I've always enjoyed the daily dozen specials, claws when they had the appetizer, and even the BBQ shrimp that they offer. However tonight the food and service was off. My steak was dried and burnt. My kids Alfredo with burnt chicken was hard to eat but they did. Not here to bash my local neighbor nor a resturant that I have always enjoyed eating at but after tonight and spending close $300. Upsetting the lack of service and quality of the food. I initially called to make a reservation but was told that they don't offer same day reservation but could walk in and wait. I took it upon myself to hop online and go directly to the restaurant website. I found the reservation option and booked it for 8 people at 4:45pm. Unfortunately sad that staff doesn't put thier best foot forward for a client but better eat thier company that they work for. I appreciate this gem and hopefully my next visit won't be the same.

Absolutely a MUST if your ever in Buda! The service was incredible! Evan took special care from giving the best recommendations to just being super attentive! The food was amazing!!! Highly recommend the Grateful Shrimp, hands down the best I've ever tasted!!! We sat in a more private area downstairs which was great for girlfriend time! Got pretty crowded upstairs! Great spot!

They used to have the most delicious ribs in town,sadly they don't have it anymore, it used to be our spot to go, pricey but good, sadly the food quality decreased in the last two years Not only pricey but poor customer service.

Best Po'Boy I've ever had outside the New Orleans city limits. We definitely made the right choice for brunch today. From the moment we walked in and heard the live music playing, we knew we were in for an experience. Our server had a trainee shadowing her and was super attentive and personable. In fact, her sister also works here and the two of them were a lot of fun to talk to. Every order we saw get delivered looked amazing. Next time, I may try the chicken and waffles, yet I am already craving another shrimp po' boy.

Had lunch here on a Saturday. Had heard a lot of good things about the food. The service was outstanding. Our waiter was attentive and checked back just the right number of times. Our drinks were never empty and our food came out hot and on time. I had the meatloaf and it was very good but the sauce on top was a little too sweet to me. The mashed potato and asparagus it came with were also good. We had two appetizers, a bowl of gumbo and another that had shrimp and fish with sauce on top of bread slices ( sorry I don't remember the name of the dish as I did not order it but tasted it). The gumbo was average and the bread under the seafood was so hard you had to cut it with you knife, pretty hard to bite through. May be that is how it's supposed to be? Overall I would give then 4 stars but it is definitely a place I would try again.

The owner Jeff has a real passion for his business and is dedicated to sharing classic Cajun with a refined twist. Clean/healthy ingredients. Dog friendly restaurant, too!

(Note: I write Facebook reviews for residents of Turner's Crossing, a new development in Buda, as we all learn about good places to dine in Austin.) ------------- To call this popular Buda eatery outstanding is an understatement. There's a reason you need reservations even at 5 o'clock in the middle of the week, and people were still coming in at 7:30. MudBugs is a friendly, welcoming place in Buda Mill & Grain Co., a renovated, historical landmark now housing boutiques and restaurants at the western edge of downtown Buda. The menu is heavy on New Orleans-style Cajun dishes, but there are several choices for the less adventurous among us. For dinner this evening, there were four of us around the table because it was wife Karen's 80th birthday. We were the guests of our daughter and her husband. For my Turner's Crossing neighbors, I expect that word-of-mouth has already reached you about the high-quality food in this place. It's only about 10 minutes down the road from us, so I do hope you have already tried it. If not, you are missing a nearby dining treasure. This is a place to linger over dinner, but don't forget your wallet. Prices are moderate and absolutely worth what you pay. For openers tonight, we started with some adult beverages from a full-service bar. The birthday girl, usually a teetotaler, got her favorite -- a brandy Alexander. Then we got an appetizer of fried calamari ($12) for the table. The calamari was done perfectly tender and crispy, and everybody raved about the remoulade sauce. Karen ordered a bowl of gumbo ($12) for her meal. It was chock full of andouille sausage, seafood and okra. She pronounced the generous portion excellent and took some home with her. Our son-in-law settled on a side Caesar salad ($7) and a bowl of the gumbo. Our daughter went with the "grateful shrimp" ($26), crab-stuffed, bacon-wrapped shrimp, rice, vegetable and tasso cream, a spicy, smoky and highly seasoned sauce common in Cajun cuisine. I decided on something outside the box in a Cajun place. I got the meatloaf ($18), a large slab of the good stuff with a ketchup glaze atop some mashed potatoes. Very tasty, and I considered it a particularly good value. Our celebratory dinner was made even better by an attentive, efficient and very personable young waitress named Freya. She took excellent care of the birthday cake we had brought in with us and made sure we had everything needed to serve it as our dessert. She had set aside the original box to carry the leftover cake safely home with us. We insisted she get a piece to take home with her too. ------------- Following are notes from a previous visit to MudBugs: ------------- Tonight, we dined with a local couple we met at a downtown Buda coffeehouse a week or so ago. They recommended it, and their choice was on point. The conversation flowed easily, and time passed quickly. We agreed to try another place together soon. For openers, they shared a shrimp bruschetta, Karen had a half dozen charbroiled oysters, and I had a cup of spicy shrimp gumbo. Their dinners were a special halibut catch of the day and a hefty stuffed-shrimp platter. Karen had shrimp and grits, and I had a double pork chop with creamed spinach. Karen and I both brought some of our meals home. The place is casual with a fun vibe, but it is certainly not inexpensive. Food, however, is truly good and worth the cost. My pork chops were easily the best I ever had, even better than Hamway's in Toledo, which was famous for them. Our server, Jack, was prompt, attentive and friendly. It all made for a delightful few hours with new friends.

Came here on a Sunday afternoon, roughly 45 minutes before they closed. I didn't know if they would seat me being so close to closing time, but they were happy to do so. I love the ambience of this restaurant, very relaxed and casual. I ordered the Sunday morning fat mouth with hashbrowns and washed it down with a good morning sunshine. The food was packed with flavor and the drink was tasty and refreshing. It was a great way to spend time on a Sunday afternoon.

I really like to go here for their butter steak. Food is all very tasty and brunch on a Sunday is always good. The service is on spot. This is a great place to visit with friends coming into town and you want to take them somewhere nice to eat, with a great atmosphere. I give 4 stars because their beer choices could be revamped and get some good lagers on tap. I will still visit here for special occasions.

I have been here twice. You need a reservation here on days like Easter Sunday. The service and food was just ok. It didn't seem on par with the cost. For example, my friend's fish was really undercooked. The servers are very nice. The ambiance is nice. They have an interesting drink menu.

A tad pricey with somewhat disappointing portion sizes, but aside from that, everything was 10/10 delicious.

Excellent food. Very pricey for Buda but very upscale compared to other restaurants in the area. Service is a little slow but not as bad as other reviewers experience. (But, then, this IS Yelp, where negative reviews are the norm.) Wait staff checks back fairly regularly. Very loud, but to be expected for a warehouse size room. Hubby and I would prefer a quieter, more intimate environment at this price point. Menu is a little odd with hard to follow descriptions and offerings, but we love the unusual dishes and spices. Rather small portions but enough to satisfy and not leave feeling overstuffed. As long-time Buda residents, we are very happy to have a restaurant like this in Buda. Overall a very enjoyable experience. Just wish it was more affordable for us so we could go more frequently and not just for special occasions.

Dinner was tasteless this evening. We had meatloaf and crusted reddish On previous visits it was much better. Service was good, but we won't go back soon.

We absolutely love the place. Two years ago, we had the pleasure of trying the food and OMG. Absolutely delicious. They had a pork chop with sweet potato, that was to die for, we had it several times over the months. We waited all year for it, however, when they switched the menu back last year, fall menu, they didn't have it. We got to try other food options and they are just as expected. Delicious The restaurant shows consistency, every time!

My wife and I saw an advertisement for MudBugs in the local neighborhood flyer and decided to give it a try. We had made reservations online which was easy and did not require a lot of steps. Upon arrival we were promptly seated. Lee, our waitress, was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable about the menu as you would expect but she also went into greater detail in how items were prepared - a nice touch. My wife had the Grateful Shrimp and I had a cup of gumbo as an appetizer along with the Pontchartrain stuffed shrimp. Everything was excellent and we'll definitely be back and hope we can be seated in Lee's section.

Ok, ok. I've been back several times now and I'm bumping it up a star. Their seasonal brunch menu changes really does it for me because there's new opportunities to showcase their culinary skill. I was just there this past Sunday and the chicken fried steak was fantastic. I did have to ask for more gravy because they were a little stingy with it but the batter is great, the gravy is great. I really enjoyed the meal. One of my friends had the meatloaf and that is also excellent. My other friend had one of the Benny dishes and it was also good and they accommodated her request for some cayenne for her hollandaise. What I will say is their service has really improved. We have had Zoë a couple of times and she's super cool, friendly, responsive and knows her menu. They also had a guitarist playing and singing. He was really, really good. It was a little loud inside and I think with cooler weather having him outside and the doors open would've made a great cohesive ambience with the patio and the inside. Either way, I'd love if they kept having him during brunch. What can I say? I am a fan.

Improve the quality of food. Don't serve crab cakes without fresh crab if charging anything amount of $25 . It's unfortunate that this place seems like not gonna make it in Buda. Changed brunch menu , happy hour or social hour? Really a joke and many wines, beer and alcohol were out. Like maybe new owners coming? Something needs to revamp. Beautiful building and wonderful staff.

First, I'll say that I normally enjoy this place but today's service (from Heather) was pathetic. When we sat at the table, there were two glasses of water that were apparently left from the prior guests. Waitress took a very long time to greet us. When she did, we politely asked if we can get new glasses of water because they were left from the previous guests (one glass partially drank). When we asked her for the new glasses, she had an attitude and look appalled that we didn't want to risk drinking behind someone else. She brought back glasses and we asked for straws which, judging by her face, bothered her. We placed orders. Wanted shrimp for an appetizer. Shrimp poboy and chicken fried steak for dinner. Entrees came but appetizer never did. When I asked about the appetizer she said "I wrote it down but forgot." How do you forget if you wrote it on the ticket?? Just watching her interact with other guests, she was very active with them but seemed to avoid us for most of our time there. Only time she was quick is when we asked for the bill.

Delicious Cajun/creole food that is a unique spin on classic Cajun classics. Their signature cocktails are amazing. My husband loves the oyster specials and the Flaming Longbranch drink. Owner is super friendly and approachable. So glad to have a nicer restaurant experience in Buda. We love the outdoor seating and patio - still a family-friendly establishment too.

The Hurricane drink did not have much alcohol. The gumbo was spicy and not what we really go for. The calamari was good. The salmon dish was very good. The pucker up pie was pretty rich like it was made with Eagle Brand condensed milk. The service was good.

I've been going here since they opened during Covid. I enjoyed the food and service for many years, but the last couple of times I've gone it has been a regret. The portions have dwindled down. The bread was burnt black to a crisp and my favorite meal, the andouille crusted redfish barely had any of the orzo pasta and tased fishy. The waitress didn't place my friend's order either. It is definitely not what it used to be.

The food was fabulous. I had the shrimp poboy and my husband had the oyster poboy w gumbo...delicious! We will be going back!

Incredible food! Best BBQ shrimp I've ever had. Plus the au gratin potatoes w the Butterboy steak were amazing. Highly recommend!

Parents were here for Easter and before they left my dad insisted we go to Mud Bugs. He loves their fish and chips and wouldn't stop talking about the bread pudding (he's from San Antonio). The service is wonderful and when making reservations on line we had a little hiccup but when calling to clear things up I was assured they could seat us. Love LOVE the atmosphere here. Great vibe for sure. The waitress was amazing! She was patient and kind while we decided what to order. I had the shrimp and grits. So freaking yummy y'all and the key lime pie was incredible. Love this place and can't wait to enjoy it again. Maybe for dinner next time.